Sunday, 23 May 2010

Maquillage Lasting Stick Foundation UV

For the past few years, I have used mainly powder foundations as I find these the quickest and easiest to apply, especially given that I'm usually short of time in the morning before work. I have also tried numerous brands of liquid and cream foundations but found few that could last well on my oily, acne-prone skin in Singapore's hot and humid weather. When Shiseido provided their new Maquillage Lasting Stick Foundation UV for me to review, I was curious to see how it would perform on my skin as I have actually never tried stick foundations before, primarily because stick foundations usually feel hard, heavy (i.e. prone to clog pores) and not as easy to blend. The Maquillage Lasting Stick Foundation UV is supposed to provide up to eight hours of wear, conceal pores and skin unevenness. It contains SPF24 and PA++ as well as moisturising ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. It comes in a sleek metal tube which makes it very convenient for travel or touch-ups on the go. In Singapore, it retails at S$76 for 11g of product. I usually wear OC10 (Ochre) for Shiseido and other Japanese brand foundations but for the Lasting Stick Foundation, I was matched to PO10 (Pink Ochre), which turned out to be perfect for me. Japanese foundations usually come in OC (Ochre), BO (Beige Ochre) and PO (Pink Ochre) shades. OC is neutral, BO is more yellow-toned while PO are more pink toned. For me, a good foundation is one that helps to reduce the appearance of my pores, does not oxidise and change colour and also helps to control oil without making me break out. The first time that I tried out the Lasting Stick Foundation, it was a mini disaster because I applied the foundation in stripes across my face and then took some photos. After putting down the camera, I realised that the foundation had already set somewhat which made blending it out difficult! Nevertheless, I was impressed by how smoothly the foundation applies. It literally glides onto the skin, turns into a powdery finish and does not feel greasy or heavy at all.

The instructions on the box recommend applying the foundation in stripes across the forehead and cheeks and then blending it out with one's fingers or sponge. However, after experimented with the foundation at least six times now (the pic below shows how much I've used it over the past week), I've found that it works better for me to dab a bit of the foundation onto my fingertip, dot that on and then blend it out, working area by area so that the foundation does not set before I get around to blending it out. For the smaller pores on my forehead and beside my nose, the foundation covers them up almost completely. For the larger pores and acne scars on my cheeks, it takes a bit more massaging and blending with my fingertip to achieve a more even finish. These larger pores and acne scars are by no means eliminated but their appearance is significantly reduced. Aside from the excellent coverage of my pores, I was also impressed by the good oil control power. After setting the foundation with loose powder, I only had to blot about every two to three hours, whereas with other foundations, I can be blotting as often as once per hour. There was also no oxidisation even after 10 hours of wear. Overall, I liked the Lasting Stick Foundation very much for the lovely smooth finish, ability to conceal pores and long-lasting nature. It does take a bit more time and effort to apply and blend, compared to powder foundations, but the end result is totally worth it. If you have access to a Maquillage counter, I highly recommend checking it out in person first before investing in it as foundations are very subjective and what works well for me may not necessarily work well for you. It's also better to get matched to the right shade in person. Do also check out the reviews of this foundation by Kimoko of Taciturnity Serenity, the make-up blogette and Anonymous Bosch of Artfully Feminine.

21 comments:

Thanks yo much for reviewing it!The finish on your skin does really looks smooth and even.I was meaning to try this one, as I too don't have much time in the morning.Did you use any sunscreen beforehand? I know the foundation has nice SPF but I am always very unsure to entrust my skin to the SPF of the foundations only.

hi puranki,Sometimes I do use a primer that includes SPF, before applying the foundation. Other times, I just apply moisturiser because I'm in the office most of the day and don't really get sun exposure except when I go out for lunch.

You look fresh with this foundation. I love the matt look. I've tried it at the counter the other day in a rush but like the feel of it on my hand. Gonna go back to test out the colours next time. Surprisingly your colour look good on you without any hint of pink.

Thanks for the review - this product is definitely going into my to-buy list. My skin issues are kind of the opposite of yours - powder foundations flake away from my dry skin easily, so I've always resorted to liquid, cream and stick foundations, even in our humid weather - one of my favourites is the Benefit playsticks. It's long lasting, travels well and works for me, so it's nice to see I have more options now :)

Hi Harucool :_)may i know how can we know if we are pink toned or yellow toned? i am always confused with this tone matching and can you believe this? a few times when i checked out my tone at counter, different SA can tell me i'm pink today, yellow the next day. so, thankfully if you can give us some advice here.

correct me if i am wrong. pink toned is more for japanese porcelain skin right, translucent in and out..whereas yellow, as general guide, is more for asian skin like us right?

To be honest, I'm also no expert on skintones. For example, I can't even tell the difference between warm and cool skintones although some ladies swear that they can't wear certain shades because they are warm/cool. To me, I'll just wear whatever I think looks good!

Rather than get fixated on a certain type of skintone, I think it's more practical to go to a counter and ask the SA to try out the foundation shade on your cheek and jawline and then check the colour under sunlight to see if it looks natural on you (especially in relation to your neck) as counter lights can be deceiving. Also your skintone can change over time with sun exposure or lack of, so it's always best to get matched each time you want to invest in a new foundation.

Hi Jasmine,I use Paul & Joe loose powder to set my foundation.

Hi Jess,The Lasting Stick Foundation is quite easy to apply once you get the hang of it. Blending it out evenly with either fingers or a sponge is key and takes some practice, but after that, it lasts really well through several hours of wear.

I really love this stick foundation, it looks really natural but is pricey :) I guess most maquillage products are.....you must try the makeup base SPF 20 (the lavender colored one in pump bottle). it can be used both on face and eyes.

Hi Pinky,I don't wear false eyelashes as I have sensitive eyes so I don't like the feeling of falsies stuck in my lids. The only times I wore them was for my wedding day and wedding photoshoot so I'm afraid I can't help there! I was given some Heroine Make false lashes to try out recently and may review them here if I do.

You look great in this foundation. Very fresh and glowing! I think the MA on NRWZD last night used this foundation. It appeared so easy to apply and blend. Will go check out this foundation when I have the opportunity.

Did you try shu uemura nobara stick foundation yet?How would you compare these two and which of these is better? In terms of coverage, how long it can last and oil control. Which do you say you prefer?